Abstract: A side-by-side refrigerator includes a cabinet defining fresh food and freezer compartments, each having upper and lower sections which vary in width and volume along with corresponding fresh food and freezer doors that vary in width. The fresh food and freezer compartments are spaced by an offset mullion assembly against which the doors seal. The offset mullion assembly includes a first longitudinal member, a second longitudinal member, a brace having first and second legs and a laterally extending portion and a cosmetic cover. The offset mullion assembly provides strength to the cabinet while providing an aesthetically pleasing and uniform sealing surface for the fresh food and freezer doors.

Abstract: A side-by-side refrigerator includes a cabinet defining fresh food and freezer compartments, each having upper and lower sections which vary in width and volume along with corresponding fresh food and freezer doors that vary in width. The fresh food and freezer compartments are spaced by an offset mullion assembly against which the doors seal. The offset mullion assembly includes a first longitudinal member, a second longitudinal member, a brace having first and second legs and a laterally extending portion and a cosmetic cover. The offset mullion assembly provides strength to the cabinet while providing an aesthetically pleasing and uniform sealing surface for the fresh food and freezer doors.

Abstract: A side-by-side refrigerator includes a cabinet defining fresh food and freezer compartments, with each compartment having upper and lower sections which vary in width and volume and corresponding fresh food and freezer doors that vary in width. The fresh food and freezer compartments are spaced by a mullion against which the doors seal. The mullion is bowed such that the longitudinal curvature of the mullion compensates for thermal bowing of the fresh food and freezer doors, thereby assuring a proper seal between the mullion and the fresh food and freezer doors.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes cabinet shell including a pair of laterally spaced, upright side walls and a top wall, each of which includes a respective forward portion. A face frame, integrally formed from a single, bent material sheet, is mounted to the forward portion of each of the opposing side and top walls. The face frame includes top, bottom and opposing side frame members, along with a mullion member that extends between either the top and bottom frame members or the opposing side frame members, depending upon desired refrigerator configuration. The mullion member establishes first and second openings that lead into first and second refrigerated compartments or the refrigerator.

Abstract: A method of assembling a refrigerator cabinet assembly including creating a shell by bending a single sheet of material to form side walls interconnected by a top wall, forming front face portions by in-turning front edge portions of the side and top walls, creating a flange assembly including at least a front flange which leads to a return flange that extends to a rear flange, and inserting first and second reinforcing members behind the rear flange so as to be arranged at spaced locations against the rear flange and one of the side walls. The reinforcing members function to increase the structural integrity of the shell while including tab structure for mounting and/or shell deformation preventing purposes.

Abstract: A refrigerator cabinet assembly includes a shell formed from a pre-painted material having first and second laterally spaced upstanding side walls which are interconnected by a top wall, with each of the first and second side and top walls including a front edge portion leading to a flange assembly defining a liner receiving cavity. The flange assembly includes a front flange leading to a return flange that extends to a rear flange and terminates in a bent flange. The cabinet assembly further includes a plurality of corner and stanchion reinforcing members secured behind respective return flange sections. The reinforcing members function to increase the structural integrity of the shell while including tab structure for mounting and/or shell deformation preventing purposes.

Abstract: A side-by-side refrigerator includes fresh food and freezer compartments, each having upper and lower sections which vary in width and volume. Doors, each having corresponding upper and lower sections that vary in width, are provided to selectively seal the fresh food and freezer compartments respectively. Each door includes an outer lateral portion pivotally mounted to the side-by-side refrigerator about a substantially vertical axis and an inner lateral portion defined by laterally offset sections that form the varying width portions. In accordance with the invention, a door brace member is provided at the laterally offset sections. The door brace member includes first and second substantially vertical portions interconnected by a lateral portion that is shaped to conform to and reinforce the laterally offset sections of the door to increase the overall structural integrity of the door.

Abstract: A refrigerator cabinet assembly includes a shell formed from a pre-painted material having first and second laterally spaced upstanding side walls which are interconnected by a top wall, with each of the first and second side and top walls including a front edge portion leading to a flange assembly defining a liner receiving cavity. The flange assembly includes a front flange leading to a return flange that extends to a rear flange and terminates in a bent flange. The cabinet assembly further includes a plurality of corner and stanchion reinforcing members secured behind respective return flange sections. The reinforcing members function to increase the structural integrity of the shell while including tab structure for mounting and/or shell deformation preventing purposes.

Abstract: An embossed cold rolled metal (e.g. steel) sheet for use in manufacturing appliances and method of making same wherein the surface attributes of the embossed sheet are optimized to improve corrosion resistance of the painted product, promote uniform paint coverage of the sheet surface, reduce paint consumption, enable repainting without loss of pattern crispness, and provide consistent and aesthetically pleasing appearance of the painted sheet. The embossed sheet has a plurality of plateaus and impressions defined therein in a manner such that the arithmetic average surface roughness (Ra) of the plateaus is from about 50 to 100 microinches, the maximum impression depths over a given area are from about 0.0025 to 0.0032 inches, the impression walls define maximum slopes of from about 8-17 degrees, and there are no sharp corners or ridges at the transition points between plateaus and impressions.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for bending serpentine heat exchanger tubes using a split bend die having a relatively short upper die section with a straight back end. After the tube is bent in conventional manner using a clamp die and a pressure die, the bend die is split along a shaft and rotated through a predetermined angle to position the straight back end substantially parallel to a straight segment of the tube at the output of the bend die. The input segment of the tube is then moved next to the shaft in preparation for rotating above the input segment to raise the output segment above the upper section of the bend die. Such lateral motion reduces the segment spacing required for clearance of the upper section. Other features for reducing the spacing are providing an indentation on the shaft, angling the back end with respect to the sides to provide a minimum length, and truncation an upper portion along the back end.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for bending metal tubes such as for furnace heat exchangers. After the bend die is rotated 180.degree. to make a bend, an upper section of the bend die is split from a lower section, and the upper section is then rotated approximately 90.degree.. In such manner, a portion of the upper section is displaced laterally to vacate a region directly above the lower section. Therefore, in moving the tube forwardly to a new location for a subsequent bend operation, a portion of a previous bend passes through the vacated region thereby enabling sequential bend angles that are less restricted than without rotating the upper section of the split die.

Abstract: The method of bending relatively thin wall tubing to form a tubular heat exchanger that has relatively tight bends with controlled wrinkles. For example, 1.75-inch outer diameter stainless steel tube may have a wall thickness of 0.035 inches and be bent using a controlled-wrinkle bend die to a 180.degree. bend having a centerline radius of 2.5 inches. The relatively high tube collapse that results from bending in such manner without the use of a ball mandrel does not detract from performance of the heat exchanger in a relatively low flow rate furnace application.

Abstract: The method of bending relatively thin wall tubing to form a tubular heat exchanger that has relatively tight bends with controlled wrinkles. For example, 1.75-inch outer diameter stainless steel tube may have a wall thickness of 0.035 inches and be bent using a controlled-wrinkle bend die to a 180.degree. bend having a centerline radius of 2.5 inches.